Prediction Changes v Geelong - Round 23, 2021

[Islanda22]

In - Viney, May, T Mac?
Out - Sparrow, Smith, Jordan

 

[Islanda22]

I reckon Smith was good today. Better than Hibberd. Pig has the runs on the board but that's an interesting selection next week with May back.

Smith is the better option but it means we have 4 blokes over 190cm down back

Hibberd looks cooked though

 

[Jon Koncak]

Smith v Hibberd for me comes down to who would you rather defending the likes of Dangerfield, Gray etc. in the finals and for me it’s Hibberd.

I’m biased and will probably trust him longer than I should, but I like the idea of him having a lockdown role in an important final.

 

[The Dr]

Smith is the better option but it means we have 4 blokes over 190cm down back

Hibberd looks cooked though

True but May, Lever and Smith can also play on the more agile medium forwards as well as just monsters.

It’s a line ball call tbh. Smith is a riskier option but he has more weapons than Hibberd now.


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[Topkent]

Smith had a good first half, invisible second. Hibberd was one of our best. Attacked everything. He's ahead imo.

 

[KickLongTackleHard]

Smith could have been best on against Adelaide and I’d still take Hibberd into a final first. Sunday’s game was no where near the kind of test a final would be and Smith has had one run in 18 months.

 

[Crusty Demon]

drop Brayshaw for Viney

No. This doesn't make much sense.

Viney will replace Sparrow. Like for like really. Even though Gus is more of an inside mid, he's been playing a lockdown role on the opposite wing to Langdon week in week out and all in all has done a good job and sacrificed his game for the better of the team. Not sure you can plonk Viney into that role or we should be shuffling players and roles around on the eve of finals. Although Gus won't be getting many Brownlow votes this season, his role has been integral to our success. Dropping a player like Gus on the eve of finals would not be a great idea for a team who seem very tight. He also seems right in the middle of team morale as well. He'd be very well liked among his team mates I reckon. Tough call to drop him I reckon..

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Sparrow for Viney, Brayshaw for May. Smith can play defensive wing.

 

[The Dr]

Sparrow for Viney, Brayshaw for May. Smith can play defensive wing.

Lol


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[A11dAtP0w3R]

Smith had a good first half, invisible second. Hibberd was one of our best. Attacked everything. He's ahead imo.

Coz the poor bastard was on the bench cramping with no match fitness available in the VFL. Definitely not holding that second half against him.

Having said that Viney coming in (and he definitely is, Goody said so in the presser) pisses me off far more than Smith being dropped. Harmes back to being a spud again, just you watch. Jack better play the game of his life.

 

[LarryDavidNeitz]

Could waste time speculating on what I'd like to happen but I'm pretty sure Viney will replace Sparrow and May will replace Smith. Wouldn't be shocked if Smith was sub though, he provides a bit of flexibility in being able to play tall or smaller at either end (defence obviously preferable).

We definitely should be trying our best to win this because it would be silly to go in half hearted and end up with a trip to Geelong or Adelaide we could have avoided. But, I reckon there's a good argument to give Tmac another week off unless he's 101% right to go. Wouldn't like to get beaten by the Cats and have our best forward line get totally shut down and then have to play them again in finals with the same team. If that happens it will be a nice boost to have our most consistent key forward to come in when it matters. Plus with back injuries you really want to get right on top of it so it doesn't flare up again.

 

[netslave]

I guess the big question now is, does Goody rest players? I feel it's just tempting fate to do that now, I want to see us beat the Cats and stay top.

 

[Daemon]

It sucks that there is no bye to rest players. I'm going to trust our fitness team and say don't rest anyone unless they absolutely need it. Beating Geelong and finishing top should be the goal.

 

[Topkent]

I don't reckon anyone has ever got more credit for not actually doing anything than Gus.
I don't get why he keeps getting credit for these apparent defensive master classes than no one else on earth could possibly do?

It's ******* weird. If Melksham was putting up the same numbers on the wing there's no ******* hope in hell he'd be getting the same grace.

 

[Deemanding]

Happy wiith:

Viney for Sparrow
May for Joel Smith who becomes the sub in place of AVB
TMac for Melksham

Gus lucky, could certainly make a case to keep Joel Smith in, push Rivers up to the wing to match up on Isaac Smith

7

Isaac Smith

Age

35

Ht

188cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

13.0

5star

HB

8.4

5star

M

5.5

5star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.7

4star

D

19.4

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.3

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.5

3star

CL

1.3

4star

D

19.2

5star

K

10.6

4star

HB

8.6

5star

M

7.6

5star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.6

3star

and use Joel Smith on Esava / Stanley to free up Lever.

 

[Tulip]

I don't reckon anyone has ever got more credit for not actually doing anything than Gus.
I don't get why he keeps getting credit for these apparent defensive master classes than no one else on earth could possibly do?

It's ******* weird. If Melksham was putting up the same numbers on the wing there's no ******* hope in hell he'd be getting the same grace.

Not really sure at the moment. End of the day I guess a few have been dropped regularly and he has never been. And winning talks. If Geelong roll us I’d imagine he’ll get some heat

 

[Topkent]

Not really sure at the moment. End of the day I guess a few have been dropped regularly and he has never been. And winning talks. If Geelong roll us I’d imagine he’ll get some heat

I'm not even sure, he's popular in the group and we clearly don't trust anyone else in that role. He just doesn't seem to be progressing at all in the role which is disappointing

 

[Tulip]

I'm not even sure, he's popular in the group and we clearly don't trust anyone else in that role. He just doesn't seem to be progressing at all in the role which is disappointing

For sure. He was making good progress mid-season but has regressed. Sparrow, Viney, JJ and him are all out of form which makes selection hard and realistically Baker isn't an option. He does seem incredibly popular amongst everyone in the group and able to bring different personalities together which they probably think is useful when there's no other obvious replacement.

Next year might see the full circle return of Tommo on the wing lmao.

 

[ImissFrosty]

You know who could play Brayshaw's role better than he is now?

Joel Smith

Just putting it out there

 

[Topkent]

You know who could play Brayshaw's role better than he is now?

Joel Smith

Just putting it out there

Wing requires footy IQ. That's not Joel Smith

 

[stEdy]

Yeah Joel Smith would get lost so quickly on the wide expanses of the G.

Would watch it though, he'd probably do some crazy Frosty runs where not even he knows where he's going. Would be entertaining.

 

[KickLongTackleHard]

I think Gus would have earned a lot of credit with the coaches for embodying the selflessness mantra by putting aside wanting to be an inside mid and having a crack at owning the available wing position to improve midfield balance. But this far in to the season it’s probably just that there isn’t an obvious alternative to replace him.

 

[Islanda22]

Hibberd and Melksham are struggling

Melksham offers us his delivery and smarts in the forward half which is what we need

Can see T Mac taking another week off to recover in time for Finals

In - Viney, May
Out - Jordan, Smith

 

[danster168]

Looking forward to Viney throwing away momentum with another 5 holding the ball free kicks. And turning it over by foot most of the time. This guy hasn't been best 22 for months.

 

[Dogga6]

The whole Brayshaw thing really is perplexing. I really don't see what he's adding to our team other then defending space like a witches cone.
I've seen comments where some have said he's playing slave sacrificed role on a wing defends etc. 6 disposals out on a wing simply doesn't cut it for me.

He played on a guy called Lachie Scholl who came in as the sub mid way through the first term. Scholl went on to have 19 disposals for the day. I know disposals aren't everything, but simply can't just be sitting out on the wing and having 0 influence.

Would happily put him up for trade at years end.